Labels put food on the map

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SUPERMARKETS may soon have to display signs revealing if their
oranges are grown in America or their sun-dried tomatoes come from
Italy.

Examples of the new labels prepared by Food Standards Australia
New Zealand have been obtained by The Sunday Age.

They show shops would have to name the country of origin. A map
or picture of the country or the overseas address of the maker
would not be enough.

Imported packaged foods could no longer pretend to be local by
highlighting that the company was "proudly Australian owned" with
the detail of the food being grown overseas in the fine print. The
country of origin must be named in a "clear and more prominent"
statement. Unpackaged fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and seafood
must state the country of origin, not just the word "imported".

Deli foods would also have to show the country of origin. But
food companies would not be forced to list the country of
individual ingredients in packaged and frozen foods. The authority
said this would be "impractical and at a prohibitive cost".

Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran, who has championed
clearer labelling, said it would enable consumers to make more
informed choices.

He hoped shoppers would be persuaded that "Australian produce is
better because it's fresher, has more flavour and is
home-grown".

Australian Food and Grocery Council chief executive Dick Wells
said he broadly supported the changes, although there would be some
costs for food companies.

But the changes would "not be the panacea for the ills of the
industry" that some advocates and farmers claimed.

He said a key problem was that the states and the Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission did not properly enforce
existing laws.

The proposed changes will be discussed at a meeting between the
Federal Government, the states and New Zealand in October.

If approved, food companies and supermarkets will have six
months to begin using the labels for unpackaged food and two years
for packaged groceries.